A guy I've been giving some pointers to for programming uses a Surface Pro and he said he was envious of my iPad Pro. LMAO! He also told me that he never uses the Surface Pro as a tablet. He doesn't think it works as a tablet. He says it only functions as a laptop for him. This is consistent with how I use the Surface Pro.
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iPad Pro Is it the Future of Computing?
- Thread starter Codeseven
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ZombiePete
macrumors 68020
Not so much file management in my opinion, but I 100% agree that user accounts in iOS are a must if they want to continue pushing this as a productivity device/laptop replacement.
I have a friend who is a software developer; he got an SP4 because he does a lot of development in Windows and wanted something more portable than his 15" rMBP. He told me the exact same thing as your friend did; it's fine as a laptop, but he would never use it as a straight tablet.
The Surface Pro 3 and 4 are great devices. Not ideal tablets because they're a bit too thick but they work fine for that purpose as well. I'd say for anyone who doesn't have heavy processing needs they are a great laptop replacement. I need more performance for virtual machines so I'm sticking with my MBP but otherwise I could easily see myself replace a laptop with the Surface Pro.
The iPad Pro on the other hand as it is feels more like a compromise. I really liked being able to use any Windows software on the SP3 but there is literally nothing in iOS for iPad Pro that separates it from the Air 2. It doesn't even fit more icons on the home screen. Applications don't make use of the extra space. Multitasking is a joke. As a device it's fine but the software needs to catch up.
IMO MS is closer to the future of computing than Apple is. Their phone-turns-into-a-desktop-system Continuum project is highly impressive and that's where I would like to see Apple going. Just imagine carrying an iPad Pro or iPhone on your travels then coming home, plugging it into a display and using OSX like you do now on your Mac.
ZombiePete
macrumors 68020
I would say that Google is far closer to giving us the "future of computing" than either MS or Apple right now, but I am confident that appliance devices like the iPad are more like what the future holds for consumer electronics than Windows 10 and its hybrid approach currently offers.
Mobile app stores have diluted app prices a lot so for niche products it may not be viable for developers to target those markets. Developing an app that only works on the iPad vs one that works on any desktop or laptop computer is a big risk. You have to sell a ******** of apps on the iOS App Store to make a living out of it. Some strike gold with games but there are few apps in other categories that make big money.
redheeler
macrumors G3
Is it the Future of Computing?
For basic users looking for a single device and simple OS to browse the web/check email, watch Netflix/YouTube, listen to music, and create text documents/sketch notes, it could be. iPads have always been ideal for these tasks, and the same question could have been asked years ago.
However, smartphones are adequate as personal computers for many of these people, and they are much more portable than an iPad Pro. Pair that with the cheap cost of Windows laptops or even MacBook Airs, both of which come with physical keyboards, and it becomes much harder for the iPad Pro to win these users over.
Then there's the rest of us. No, an iPad Pro will not be replacing my 27" 5K iMac running desktop OS X anytime soon.
For basic users looking for a single device and simple OS to browse the web/check email, watch Netflix/YouTube, listen to music, and create text documents/sketch notes, it could be. iPads have always been ideal for these tasks, and the same question could have been asked years ago.
However, smartphones are adequate as personal computers for many of these people, and they are much more portable than an iPad Pro. Pair that with the cheap cost of Windows laptops or even MacBook Airs, both of which come with physical keyboards, and it becomes much harder for the iPad Pro to win these users over.
Then there's the rest of us. No, an iPad Pro will not be replacing my 27" 5K iMac running desktop OS X anytime soon.
No they are not.
They are cheap imitation gadgets with no identity. They are terrible at being tablets, and they are mediocre at being Windows laptops.
If you truly believe they are great devices, you have a terrible sense of what "great" means.
yes i agree that surface pro has no identity, they aren't great as a laptop or as a tablet but they are nice devices for those who can't afford a true laptop and a pure tablet
DNichter
macrumors G3
Yea I get it, I just don't think it is a good idea. OS X isn't built for tablets. Just buy a Mac and be happy. Is it really that difficult to use a MacBook Pro for their tasks?
blackoutz
macrumors member
Lol. What is iPad pro's identity then? Knockoff of no identity?
ZombiePete
macrumors 68020
I'm on your side; I think iOS has a ton of potential and some people are dismissing it just because it doesn't fit neatly into the computing paradigm they've built for themselves.
DNichter
macrumors G3
All your iPad compromises prove my point. It is a tablet first and foremost and you are expecting it to do things a laptop does better. In my opinion, a Mac would be the best choice as it can run OS X and Windows. iOS will continue to grow and add more and more desktop like features and become all I really need from a computing device. I don't agree on continuum. It's cool, but I don't want a bunch of peripherals to plug into to create a computer. I'd rather just have a phone and a computer, or a phone and an iPad. 2 devices max.
DNichter
macrumors G3
Yes to all your points, but the iOS App Store is the only one where developers are making money right now.
DNichter
macrumors G3
Exactly. Personally I just wish Apple would move faster and really open up the possibilities. I could get by on an iPad if not for one or two things.
blackoutz
macrumors member
It depends. For cheap or freemium apps, mobile is the way to go. For serious gaming and professional softwares, laptop and desktops still dominate. I'm a academic, none of the applications, like Matlab and other statistical software I need, are on the iPad.
DNichter
macrumors G3
Fair enough. I think I'm likely being a touch naive on what is being created. Just seems like desktop apps have stagnated a bit and people are moving to a mobile application future. There will, of course, always be desktop apps for heavy duty computing. Such as what yourself and other academics may use.
maflynn
macrumors Broadwell
That's because imo, the SP is a better product. Its stylus works just as well as the pencil, though reviews have the IPP's pencil a tiny bit faster. The displays are similar, the SP4 type cover is better and includes a trackpad and the SP4 runs a full desktop OS, so you have access to the full version of Photoshop (or what ever app you use).
I like what Apple did with the iPad Pro but they didn't do enough, that is, its a bit hamstrung.
MH01
Suspended
Though the iPad is cheaper than a laptop. Be it laptop or tablet, there is less reason to update these days and devices have reached at point where CPU is no longer a handicap . Manufactures are actually limiting the hardware on purpose so you upgrade. Though a laptop with the ability to upgrade will have a much longer lifespan than a tablet, so sales figures are misleading. I replace about 2-3 tablets to one laptop, it does not mean the tablets are outselling and replacing a laptop. To be fair the laptop is a cheaper solution long term. Since 2012, my retina MacBook Pro is still going strong, my iPad 4 became very sluggish, my air the same but better, and the air 2 is working as intended. OS X has actually improved performancance on older devices while iOS has got worse on older devices. Cheaper is definitely not cheaper in the long term for me.
The Game 161
macrumors Nehalem
Once upon a time people wrote with pencils. Then a keyboard and mouse input was invented, so everything was easier for the people. But the people missed the hassle. They wanted to use a pencil again and loose the mouse input, so they would have to use the gorilla arm method. Everyone was happy again when a piece of paper was transformed to a heavy pad. It was in 2015, but the pad felt ancient.
MH01
Suspended
Maybe cause apple launched the iPad pro? The SP4 is a logical competitor to discuss....
The iPhone gets compared to flagship android devices ....
I don't get this attitude that these forums should only be for discussions in relation to praising Apple products. It's just not going to happen, maybe there is another site that is dedicated to that. The iPad pro v SP4 discussion are good and informative.
DNichter
macrumors G3
I think it's because we are comparing a laptop to a tablet. In my eyes, very different products. The iPhone is typically compared to other phones.
MH01
Suspended
H8ter2
macrumors newbie
I really think iPP and SP are the steps to the future of computing, many of us looking at this from the eyes of systems that we are most familiar with as they have been the ones we used our entire lives being your traditional Desktop PC/Mac or laptop. However when you look at the new generation growing up now touch screen devices are more and more becoming all they know and interact with on a daily basis. Look around you and you see kids as little as 3 or 4 years old messing around and learning or watching things on an iPad or similar device. This is how change comes by implementing it into the lives of the future, as they will be the ones buying these products in the future.
Yes as of now these devices are not powerful enough to fully replace ones laptop or desktop PC/Mac, but the technology is getting better and better each generation, most of the time doubling.
If you look at the 2 main factors people resort back to their traditional computer it's either gaming or very select "pro" programs that have not see full features on a iPP type device yet (mostly due to hardware limitations), but this will most certainly change in the coming years as the technology continues to mature, think about it you can do things with pictures on an iPhone today that took $1000's of dollars worth of equipment and software just 10 years ago. As far as gaming kids today are not as entrenched in PC gaming as the previous generations were and many can argue that sector has been dying anyway especially amongst younger players as they have Playstations and Xbox's that hold their own against PC games (I know, it's not as great I get it).
I'm just saying in its current right now form no, but the writing is certainly on the wall for how the future of computing looks IMO. As each new IPP generation comes along and pushes the old one to more affordable prices for the masses the more exposure the general consumer will have with these devices making them more and more the go to style of computing, plus the accessories give you the options to utilize as more traditional computer if that's in fact what you need.
Yes as of now these devices are not powerful enough to fully replace ones laptop or desktop PC/Mac, but the technology is getting better and better each generation, most of the time doubling.
If you look at the 2 main factors people resort back to their traditional computer it's either gaming or very select "pro" programs that have not see full features on a iPP type device yet (mostly due to hardware limitations), but this will most certainly change in the coming years as the technology continues to mature, think about it you can do things with pictures on an iPhone today that took $1000's of dollars worth of equipment and software just 10 years ago. As far as gaming kids today are not as entrenched in PC gaming as the previous generations were and many can argue that sector has been dying anyway especially amongst younger players as they have Playstations and Xbox's that hold their own against PC games (I know, it's not as great I get it).
I'm just saying in its current right now form no, but the writing is certainly on the wall for how the future of computing looks IMO. As each new IPP generation comes along and pushes the old one to more affordable prices for the masses the more exposure the general consumer will have with these devices making them more and more the go to style of computing, plus the accessories give you the options to utilize as more traditional computer if that's in fact what you need.